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How to Learn English Efficiently

Seyyed Ahmad Fatemi-Samir Fatemi - سمیر فاطمی-سید احمد فاطمی. How to Learn English Efficiently. Disclaimer. I DO NOT MAJOR IN ENGLISH! I DO NOT WORK FOR ENGLISH DEPARTMENT! MY UNDERGRADE ENGLISH IS ONLY ABOVE THE AVERAGE! This presentation content is based on

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How to Learn English Efficiently

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  1. Seyyed Ahmad Fatemi-SamirFatemi-سمیر فاطمی-سید احمد فاطمی How to Learn English Efficiently

  2. Disclaimer • I DO NOT MAJOR IN ENGLISH! • I DO NOT WORK FOR ENGLISH DEPARTMENT! • MY UNDERGRADE ENGLISH IS ONLY ABOVE THE AVERAGE! • This presentation content is based on • my personal experience in English learning – especially after studying abroad • the training I received in Singapore RELC this past summer

  3. Who Am I? • Min-Te Sun (Peter) Sun • An associate professor of Computer Science & Information Engineering, National Central University • Studied in US for a long time (from 1993 ~ 2002) • Worked as a CS professor at Auburn University, Alabama between 2002 and 2008 (before coming back to Taiwan) • Have taught CS courses in English for more than 10 years

  4. Define “Good English” • The ability to communicate with others through English • by reading • by writing • by listening • by speaking • It has nothing to do with English tests! • Getting good grades from English tests is merely a by-product!

  5. Is Good English Important? • For Individual • Reading – lifelong learning to improve your competiveness, especially when you want to acquire the most up-to-date knowledge • Writing – emails with foreign friends/co-workers/customers • Listening – Q/A with foreign customers/boss/etc • Speaking – presentation in front of foreign customers/boss/etc, traveling abroad • At University level • Internationalization is one of the most prioritized tasks

  6. However, We Have Struggled w/ English • All of us start learning English at least since our junior high school, so why do you still come here? • Issues • Lack good environment? • Bad English teachers? • Too many exams to ruin your appetite?

  7. Perseverance is The Key • Courtesyto 研瑞

  8. How to be Persevere in English Learning • Do not set the bar too high • 大家說英語，空中英語教室 • Times, Newsweek Magazines • English learning through Recreation (Fun) • Playing English games (may not applicable anymore) • Attending social events • Travelling • Listening to music and Karaoke • Etc…

  9. English Reading • Check your English vocabulary size @ http://www.insightin.com/test/test.phtml • You need about 10000 to score high in TOEFL/GRE/GMAT • The average vocabulary size of a 4-year college native speaker is 20000 • You need about 3000 ~ 5000 words to start with • Basic English vocabulary • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocabulary

  10. Start with What? • Using English to learn English • Read English textbooks • Play English online games • Browse interesting English websites daily • http://espn.com/ (Sports News) • http://imdb.com/ (Movie Database) • http://www.eonline.com/ (E! Entertainment News) • http://www.billboard.com/ (Top Music Chart) • http://www.dilbert.com (Dilbert Comic) • http://www.slagoon.com/ (Sherman’s Lagoon Comic) • http://www.peanuts.com/ (Snoopy) • http://bensbargains.net/ (Deal Site)

  11. English Writing • You should have received enough grammar knowledge from your high school English classes • Never trust Google translation • Better choices out there • http://www.grammarly.com/ • http://www.grammarcheck.net/ • How to improve your writing • Reading, reading, and more reading • Spelling and grammar check tools are your best friends • Imitate Good Sentences • Write English emails (and do it w/ care) daily/often to • International Pen Pals • http://www.interpals.net/ • Your professors/advisors (and ask them to correct your grammar whenever there is a mistake)

  12. How About English Listening/Speaking? • The Most Difficult Parts in English Because • No Environment! • Suggestions • Take courses taught in English (there should be plenty at NCU) • Get to know some “language partners” (there are quite a few international students at NCU) • Speak in front of people in English (for presentations, group meetings, TA sessions)<= This will make a huge difference

  13. Differences Between English Writing and Speaking • In English writing, we sometimes use sentences with complex structure • I recommend against complex sentences, unless you can not avoid that • In English speaking, NEVER use complex sentences • No native speaker do that, either

  14. Other Things You Should Try • Listen to English songs • Do not learn from Rap songs (Ebonics) • Practice singing English songs (KTV is a good place) • Correct yourself whenever you hear something wrong in your own speech • Phase 1 – You are too nervous to even hear your own voice (ask others to correct you) • Phase 2 – Correct yourself (mostly grammar mistakes) • Phase 3 – Improve your pronunciation (tools like audacity help)

  15. English PronunciationAmerican English Accent • Resources • http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/english/frameset.html • Tools • Audacity

  16. Intonation Makes a Big Difference • Lack of intonation • Mandarin: fixed tones and rhythm • English: variable pitch and tempo • Incorrect intonation • It’s pretty good. • It’s pretty good. • Where can we learn the correct intonation? • English songs • Watch movies (with and w/o caption) • A highly recommended movie: Forrest Gump

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